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Brake problems

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Bullnosefan95

Brake problems

Hi everyone, another issue popped up today of course but this time it’s something serious! As of lately it’s been getting harder for me to brake and today as I was almost home, the pressure on my brake goes to virtually nothing and it barely stops now. I’m thinking it might be the brake booster because now I have no pressure when putting my foot on the brakes and it made a “pop” sound and my parking brake light came on. Again I think it’s the booster but maybe someone else has a better suggestion before I start spending money I don’t have?

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gary Lewis

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

I'm not sure I understand your terminology, but if you mean you can put your foot to the floor with little effort then it probably isn't the booster. If the booster fails then the pedal will be very hard to push, but if you push hard the truck will stop.

The fact that you heard a pop and the brake warning light came on says that you've probably blown a brake hose. If in the front you will have lost the front brakes, which normally do most of the work, so it wouldn't stop well at all. And, with the imbalance in the front/rear systems the brake warning light would come on.

So, go look at the brake hoses. In front you have one to each wheel. In the rear you have one to the rear axle which feeds both sides.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Bullnosefan95

Re: Brake problems

Ok thank you very much. I love how helpful this forum has become and other people with a bullnose have such knowledge versus other people with just a guessing game.

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gary Lewis

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

Happy to help. Let us know what you find.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

rcarlisle

Re: Brake problems

In reply to this post by Bullnosefan95

I agree with checking for a busted or otherwise compromised line. Fronts should be pretty easy to feel/see. Look for a big wet spot in the brake lines. I lost a brake line on a mini van once and the braking effort was massive as it was only using the rear and one front. And fluid was going away quickly. Made it home.

Sounds like you have had an issue coming on for a while. Time to do some investigating and get a few pics if nothing really stands out so we can all jump in to try to help.

Randy

Mt. Airy, NC 81 F-150 STYLESIDE regular cab 2wd. 302 Auto Zone crate. 5 spd M5od-R2

85lebaront2

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

In reply to this post by Bullnosefan95

If you look in the master cylinder reservoir, the large chamber is for the front brakes and the smaller one is rear. The one that is dry or nearly dry will tell you which end to look at.

One other item, at the back, the crossmember behind the axle is where the hard line comes over to the rear axle hose. In the corner where that crossmember joins the side of the frame, there is a low area that collects dirt and water, the brake line lays right in that low area. If the hose looks good and it is the rear brake circuit, look for brake fluid in that corner. I lost the rear on Darth, which also killed my trailer brake controller due to the line rusting through.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

Bullnosefan95

Re: Brake problems

So after looking, the front brakes are dry but the rears are covered in fluid. The small compartment on the master cylinder is near empty. I am able to brake but requires all of the pedal and I have to increase my braking distance

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gary Lewis

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

Not sure what you mean by "the rears are covered in fluid". Do you mean the brake shoes are covered in fluid? The wheel backing plates are covered in fluid? The rear axle is covered in fluid?

Obviously you have a rear brake problem, but giving us more specific descriptions will help us help you.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Bullnosefan95

Re: Brake problems

Sorry the rear brake lines where it meets the drums is covered in fluid.

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gary Lewis

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

Bullnosefan95 wrote

Sorry the rear brake lines where it meets the drums is covered in fluid.

You said "brake lines", meaning two lines, which says both sides are leaking. That suggests two failures at one time. Is that true?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Bullnosefan95

Re: Brake problems

Yes. Both lines are leaking fluid on both sides and it isn’t a squirting leak it is more of a slow leak because there is a little bit of fluid in the reservoir but not much

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gary Lewis

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

That being the case I think you've had a slow leak that finally got so low that you sucked air into the system for the rear. In other words, I don't think you had a catastrophic failure, but a long slow failure that finally got so bad that you'll now have to fix it.

To do that you need to figure out if the wet brake backing plates are due to leaks of the brake lines to the wheel cylinders or, more likely, the wheel cylinders themselves leaking. And then you'll have to fix that, refill the master, and bleed the brakes.

So I'd clean off the brake backing plates, add some more fluid to the master, and pump the brakes. Then see if you can tell where the leak is coming from.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gsmblue

Re: Brake problems

Maybe time for a rear end brake rebuild?

It is not difficult and not expensive to replace the hard lines, slaves, pads and springs. Worth checking the drums for wear too.

1985.5 F-150 XL Explorer standard cab 5.0 EFI AOD 4x4
Daily Driver. We call her Eunice the Ute.

1982 Bronco XLT Lariat 351W AOD 4x4
Code name Esperanza, or Espy to her friends. Please see my Project thread for the blow by blow.

1984 F-350 XL Centurion crew cab 460 T19 4x4
"Eylza Dual-little"

Bullnosefan95

Re: Brake problems

My truck needs a lot of work but I agree, I am tempted to go the full mile and do everything from the brake booster to master cylinder to hard lines and brakes. I just got home from picking my sister in law up and went to my truck and noticed quite a bit of brake fluid under the passenger side rear drum so I believe I know where the issue is coming from. I have known that I needed to have the brakes done for a while but have been putting it off for a while due to the fact I live in an apartment complex and the only person who is able to help me is my dad but he lives 2 hours away and its hard finding time in my work schedule to go up there.

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gsmblue

Re: Brake problems

I understand that challenge. I do all the work on my trucks on my own.

At least you know what needs to be done now.

swampedout

Re: Brake problems

In reply to this post by Bullnosefan95

I always advocate for doing the work yourself if you can, but if its a vehicle you use regularly and you have a shop you trust, its worth getting the brakes done just to get the truck back on the road. I hate paying people to do things I can do myself, but my vehicles take me to work everyday so its a worthwhile investment in the long run.

Ive got a rear brake leak I havent addressed yet either, so let me know what you find.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

Bullnosefan95

Re: Brake problems

Alright got some pictures of the rear drum brakes and found where the leak is coming from, like I said earlier, it's not a squirting problem every time I step on the brakes, but as you can see it is leaking quite a bit. Maybe I just need to bleed the brakes and put on new seals? I am not sure if brake lines have o-rings on the adapters?

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gary Lewis

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

Where that is coming out is the emergency brake cable. So your wheel cylinder is bad and leaking. It will have to be replaced. And since your brake shoes are now soaked in fluid they need to be replaced.

In short, you need at least to have the rear brakes rebuilt.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Bullnosefan95

Re: Brake problems

My plan was to do the brakes soon anyway, I noticed when looking online that there is 2.5" and 3" brake shoes for my truck but since I have not done the brakes on my truck yet, how do I know what size to get because I don't want to order one size and it be the wrong one? After I replace them I will know what to get next time but since I haven't pulled the drums off yet I don't know the size. Since I live in an apartment I don't have a lot of the stuff I used to take tires off.

1986 F-250 Diesel
7.3 IDI (It was a conversion due to the 6.9 being bad in it originally)
2WD
C6 Auto
4.10 Rear

Gary Lewis

Re: Brake problems

Administrator

You don't have a signature telling us what your truck is so I can't look it up in the documentation. But you can: Documentation/Driveline/Brakes. Then go to the Rear Brakes tab and then the Rear Brakes Parts List tab. Find your truck in the first table, get the parts list #, and then go to that Parts List. It'll tell you what brakes you have.

However, the brake drums usually have the size stamped on them. You'll have to pull a wheel to find it if you want to check.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile